Machine for use in making prewelt shoes



Oct. 13, 1942. A. L. JALBERT 2,298,384

MACHINE FOR USE IN MAKING PREWELT SHOES Filed June 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 13,1942.- A, 2,298,384,

MACHINE FOR USE IN MAKING PREWELT SHOES Filed June 16, 1941 :2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Patented Oct. 13, 1942 MACHINE FOR USE IN MAKING PREWELT SHOES Adrien L. Ja'lbert, Haverhill, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 16, 1941, Serial No. 398,291

15 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of shoes and is illustrated herein with reference to prewelt shoes.

An object of the invention is to provide an im-.

proved machine for use in the manufacture of prewelt shoes.

In the manufacture of prewelt shoes, as herein illustrated, a single sole is provided having a peripheral channel in its edge face and adapted to be assembled off a last with a prewelt shoe upper. The welt on the upper is first straightened by utilizing cooperating rolls to cause it to assume the substantially fiat position relatively to the upper that it will assume in a shoe, the cooperating rolls being also arranged simultaneously to conform the upper to the shape of said rolls around the forward portion of the upper but not around its rear or heel portion. In assembling the sole and the prewelt shoe upper oif a last, the sole is bent or arched to shorten it lengthwise and it is introduced while in this bent condition into the opening at the bottom of the upper until the outer side of the channel in the sole engages the attaching face of the straightened welt, thereby positioning the welt and upper with reference to the sole. The sole is then released from its bent'condition to permit it to spring back through resiliency to its normal substantial- 1y straight position, thereby causing it to assume its full length which, in turn, causes the sole to engage the upper and welt around the entire lower margin of the upper and which also positions or draws the upper and welt into or partially into the channel in the sole, the shoe parts having first been treated With cement so that they will be in condition to become cement attached when they have been properly positioned with respect to each other.

The upper and welt may then be tucked into the channel in the sole for the full depth thereof and the cement allowed to set to cause the sole to become cement attached to the upper and welt around the entire shoe, after which the sole may be permanently attached to the shoe by outseam stitches passing through the welt and sole, the stitches being spaced outwardly from the channel in the sole.

In accordance with one of its features, the i1- lustrated invention provides an improved machine particularly adapted for use in practicing the method outlined above, the machine having means for bending the welt of a prewelt shoe upper away from the adjacent upper and into a predetermined angular relation thereto inorder to cause the welt to assume the'substantially fiat position it will assume in a shoe, the machine also having means for simultaneously shaping or conforming the upper adjacent to the welt into the shape desired in the finished shoe. As illustrated, the welt positioning and upper conforming means comprises a pair of cooperating rolls, one roll acting to support the shoe upper and being shaped in accordance with the shape of the upper desired in the shoe. This supporting roll is also provided with an inclined surface or flange arranged to be engaged by the welt to position it at a predetermined angular relation to the adjacent upper. The other cooperating roll is for pressing the shoe upper against the supporting roll to feed the upper and simultaneously to conform it to the shape of the supporting roll and also to force the welt against said inclined surface or flange to position the welt at the desired angle to the upper.

A prewelt shoe upper of the type referred to usually has a counter stiffener or fiber or similar material incorporated in its heel portion between the lining and upper and, accordingly, it is important, when operating upon the heel portion of the upper, that the cooperating rolls of the machine should not conform or shape such portion since this might crush or otherwise damage the upper orthe counter stiffener therein. The rolls should, however, continue to operate upon the welt and adjacent portion of the upper around said heel portion in order to locate the Welt in the desired angular position.

To this end and in accordance with another feature of the invention, the second or cooperating roll has a portion thereof which is separable or movable axially from another portion thereof while the rolls are rotating and operating upon the upper so that this separable portion may be separated from its other portion to move it out of engagementwith the upper and thereby prevent said movable or separable portion from operating upon the upper. As herein illustrated, the separable portion of the cooperating roll is adapted to eng e the upper at a considerable distance above the welt While said other portion of the roll engages the upper adjacent to the welt. When the movable portion is separated and moved axially from said other portion, this latter portion may continue with the supporting roll to operate in straightening the welt and shaping the upper adjacent thereto around the heel portion of the upper without conforming or shaping the counter stiffener incorporated in said heel portion.

With the above and other objects and features Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly broken away and in section, of a prewelt shoe upper;

Fig. 4 illustrates a sole comprising inner, outerand intermediate layers with the layers arranged so that a channel is provided around the edge face of the sole;

Fig. 5 shows the upper after it has been shaped, and the welt thereon has been straightened, the

sole, of. Fig. 4 being-also shown in position for assembly off a last with the. upper;

Fig. 6 shows the upper and sole after they have been assembled;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the toe portion of the shoe, illustrating the completion of the assembling operation.

Fig. 8 is aview similar to Fig. '7 showing the sole attached to the welt by stitches; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing the upper being conformed or shaped by an expansible last in the shoe.

The illustrated machine comprises abase Ill arranged to be secured by; screws to a bench or other support and having at its forward and rear ends, respectively, upstanding portions l2 and I4 in which is journaleda horizontal shaft l6 arranged to be rotated by a pulley l8-fastened by a set screw to the shaft, the pulley being driven by a belt connectedto any usual source of power. The shaft I6 is prevented from axial movement in the base by a collar 22. pinned to the shaft and engaging the forward surface of the portion I2. The shaft extends forwardlyof the portion I2 and has secured to its forward end a roll 24 for supporting a shoe upper to be operated upon off a last such, for example, as the prewelt shoe upper A of Fig. 3, the roll, as illustrated, being adapted to extendinside the upper to support it from its inner. side and being curved or rounded at its forward portion in accordance with the shape desired in thelower portion of the upper around the forepart thereof but forwardly of its rear or heel portion where a counter stiffener is usually located.

The supporting roll 24 has a groove 26 rearwardly of its rounded portion adapted to receive the loweredge of the. upper and, in the case of a prewelt shoe upper as herein illustrated, to receive also the inner edge of awelt W attached to the upper. The roll then increases in diameter to provide an annular flange 28 having a rearwardly inclined surface 30 thereon adapted to be engaged by the welt W to position the welt in a predetermined angular relation to the adjacent portion of the upper, this angular position being such that, after the upper has been operated upon, the tendency of the Walt to react and return to its original position will have been overcome sufliciently to cause the welt to assume the substantiallystraight orv flat position which. it will assume in a finished shoe.

The upstanding portion "at the rear of the base I0 is bifurcated to provide ears between which is pivotally mounted on a transversepin 32 a bracket 34 which extends upwardly and forwardly and, at its forward end opposite the portion l2, projects downwardly to provide a portion 36 which, together with the rear portion of the bracket, provides bearings for another horizontal shaft 38 parallel to the lower shaft I6. Inwardly of its bearing I4 the shaft [6 carries a gear 40 which meshes with a similar gear 42 secured to the upper shaft 38 so that, when the shaft I6 is rotated by the pulley I8, the shaft 38 will be rotated at an equal speed but in an opposite direction. The shaft 38 is retained against axial movement in the bracket by a collar 44 secured to the shaft by a set screw and engaging the rear surface of the forward bearing 36.

Theshaft 38 has a reduced portion 46 at its forward end and mounted on this reduced portion above the supporting roll 24 is another roll 48 (Fig. 1) arranged to cooperate with the supporting roll in operating upon the shoe upper. The cooperating roll 48 is made. up of two separate portions or sections, an inner or rear por-- tion 50 which is fixed to thereduced shaft 46 by any usual means so that it rotates therewith, anda forward portion 52.which, as herein illus-. trated, is loose on the shaft 46. Asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the rear portion 50 of, the roll 48 is positioned opposite the supporting roll 24 and has inclined surfaces thereon which converge to a thin edge and are so positioned and shaped that the portion 50 is complemental. to the rear or grooved portion of the supporting roll.

The forward portion 52 of the roll, 48 conforms substantially in shape to the corresponding portion of the roll 24, the portion 52, however, terminating in a cylinder in which is formed an annular groove 54. The fixed portion 5llhas-rigidly secured therein a plurality of horizontal rods, 55 which extend forwardly and pass slidingly through holes in the portion 52 so that this latter portion is always connected to the fixed portion 50 and is caused to rotatev with itwhenever the, shaft 38 is rotated. Since the portion 52 is loose or slidable on the shaft-16, it can be moved axially thereon toward and away from the fixed portion 50 while the rolls are rotating. The portion 52 of the cooperating. roll, therefore, is separable from the fixed portion 50 by axial movement while the rolls are rotating and are operating upon the work. During its separation the portion 52 will, of course, continue to rotate by reason of the horizontal rods 56.

The purpose of this construction is to permit the separable portion 52 of the roll 48 to be moved away from the fixed portion 50 and out of engagement with the shoe upper'when operating upon its heel portion which contains the counter stiffener, thereby preventing .the separable portion from operating upon said heel portion or the counter stiffener. As stated, the movement of the separable portion 52 toward and away from the fixed portion 50 must take place while the rolls are rotating and operating upon the heel portion of the upper so that the welt and the lower portion of the upper will be positioned and shaped as desired around the entire upper. Since the uppers will vary in size and shape, the separation of the two portions 50, 520i the roll 48 must be capable of being accomplished at the will of the operator so that when a particular upper-has been fed by the rolls into a position where its heel portion is about to pass between the rolls, the operator can move the separable portion 52 axially away from thefixed portion 50.

The means for moving the separable portion 52 axially toward and away from the portion 50 while the rolls are rotating comprises a horizontal slide 60 arranged for movement back and forth in a plane parallel to the axis of the 'cooperating roll 48. The slide60 is mounted on a supporting plate 62 secured by screws 64 (Fig. l) to the bracket 34, the plate extending forwardly of the bracket. A guideway for the slide 60 is provided on the plate 62 by blocks 66, 68 secured respectively to the front and rear portions of the plate by screws 10 and'provided with alined slots through which the slide 60 moves.

At its front end the slide 60 is provided with a downwardly extending circular yoke or fork 12 which engages the annular slot 54 in the separable portion 52 and connects the slide to said portion so that axial movement of the separable portion may be caused by the 'slide without interfering with the rotation of said portion. The slide 60 has a bracket I4 secured by screws I6 to its upper side and this bracket is provided with an upstanding portion I8 in which is formed a vertical slot 80. The vertical slot 80 is engaged by a horizontal pin 82 extending outwardly from a lever 84 pivoted on a stud screw 86 (Fig. 2) threaded into an upstanding portion 88 of another bracket 90 secured by screws 92 to a portion of the supporting plate 62 located inwardly of the slide 60. The lever 84 has a handle 94 by which it may be swung about its pivot 86 from the forward position shown in Fig. 1, to the rearward position shown in Fig. 2. A pair of pins 96, 98 mounted'in the lever 84 and projecting inwardly therefrom serve as stops for the lever by their engagement with the bracket 90 and thus determine, respectively, the forward and rearward positions of the lever. Swinging movement of the lever 84 into the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 moves the slide 60 forwardly and rearwardly through the engagement of the pin 82 with the vertical slot in the bracket 18. By this arrangement, the separable portion 52 of the cooperating roll may be moved axially away from and back against the fixed portion 50 at the will of the operator as, for example, when the rolls are about to operate upon the heel portion of the upper or when they have finished operating upon said heel portion.

The cooperating roll 48 is also arranged to be moved or swung yieldingly into and out of operative relation with the supporting roll 24 to permit the upper to be mounted on the roll 24 or removed therefrom, the rolls normally being separated from each other heightwise of the machine. The pivoted bracket 34 is normally maintained in an upwardly inclined position forwardly of the machine by a compression spring I surrounding a treadle rod I02 extending upwardly through openings in the base I0 and the bracket 34, the lower end of the spring engaging the base and its upper end engaging a collar I04 secured to the treadle rod by a set screw. The treadle rod extends above the bracket 34 and is surrounded at its upper portion by another compression spring I06 which, as herein illustrated, is somewhat stronger than the spring I00, the lower end of the spring I06 engaging the plate 62 on the bracket and its other end engaging a nut I08 threaded on the upper end of the treadle rod, the nut I08 providing means for adjusting the tension of the spring. The spring I06 normally holds the bracket 34 against the fixed collar I04 on the treadle rod. When the treadle rod is depressed against the action of the spring I00, the bracket 34 swings downwardly about its pivot 32 and moves the roll 48 into operative engagement with supporting roll 24, the spring I06 being thereafter compressed by continued depression of the treadle rod. The spring I06, therefore, permits the rolls to be moved together yieldingly and, after they have come together, permits the pressure between them to be increased as desired as the spring continues to yield under further depression of the treadle rod, this depression being effected at this time against the action of both springs. Release of the treadle rod permits the spring I06 to expand and relieve the pressure between the rolls and permits the spring I00 to return the bracket and roll 48 to their upwardly inclined position.

In the operationv of the machine briefly" summarized, the prewelt shoe upper A (Fig. 3) is provided comprising a lining L and an outer layer 0 with the 'welt W attached to its lower edge by stitches S. The upper also has a counter stiffener C of fiber or similar material incorporated in its heel portion and preferably secured in place between the lining and outer layer by cement and also by the welt attaching stitches S. As herein illustrated, the upper A is a small sized upper for a high shoe or cack-for children but it might obyiously be an upper for a low shoe or, if desired, a large sized upper for mens or women's shoes. The 'upper is mounted on the supporting roll 24 preferably so that the roll initially engages it at one side thereof about opposite the heel breast line of the shoe and in such a position that the forward portion of the upper, from breast line to breast line, will be fed between the rolls before the heel portion is fed therebetween.

The treadle rod I02 is depressed to swing the bracket 34 downwardly to bring the roll 48 yieldingly against the upper and press it against the supporting roll 24, thereby conforming the upper to the shape of said roll and causing the thin edgeportion 50 of the roll 48 to enter the space between the welt and upper and bend the welt over against the inclined surface 30 on the flange 20, the inner edges of the welt and upper being seated in the groove 26, as shown in Fig. 1. The powerof the machine is started to rotate the rolls and cause them to feed the upper between them around its forward portion by friction. The rolls conform this forward portion to the shape of the supporting roll 24 and bend the welt downwardly simultaneously with the feeding operation, the position or angle into which the welt is bent relatively to the adjacent upper, as stated, being such that, after the operation is completed and the welt tends to react and return to its original position against the upper, the welt will return only part way to such position or into the substantially straight or flat position illustrated in Fig. 5.

After the forward portion of the upper has been conformed as described and the welt W has been straightened, the heel portion of the upper, containing the counter stiffener C, reaches the rolls. At this point, while the rolls continue to rotate and operate upon the upper, the lever 84 may be swung by its handle 84 from the forward position shown in Fig. 1 to the rear ward position shown in Fig. 2, to move the separable portion 52 of the cooperatingroll 48 axially along the reduced shaft 46 by forward movement of the slide 68. The separable portion 52 is thus moved at will away from the fixed portion 50 and out of position to engage the upper and conform it to the supporting roll 24, this axial movement taklngplace while the separable: p rtion. 52 is rotating due to itsconnectionntogthe fixed. portion 50 by'therods 56.

Accordingly, as illustrated in Fig. 2,' the:heel portionof the prewelt upper will. haveits welt bent down and straightened as desired. but the portion of theupper above-onto the left of the portion 50 of the roll will notbeengaged by the separable portion 52 and thereforewill. not. be affected thereby. When the entire upper has been fed between-the rolls sothat itslower portion has been shaped and the welt hasbeen straightened around the entireupper. the-treadle rod is released to permit thespring; I00. to ele vate the roll 48 so that the upper maybe removed from the supporting roll afterwhich it is ready for use in constructing the prewelt shoe in accordance with the further steps disclosed herein.

A sole is provided for use with the upper A, this sole comprising, as herein illustrated, a single laminated sole B made up ofan inner layer I, preferably composed of leather or fiber, a leather outer or tread layer T, and a filler or midsole M composed of cork or other yieldable material. The three'layers are cut to the desired shape and size, the inner layer I, as illustrated in Fig. 4, being a predetermined amount larger than the midsole M, and the outer layer T being larger than the inner layer I, so that, when the three layers are properly positioned one upon the other and are secured together by cement, such as latex or other cement, to produce the laminated sole B, the sole has a peripheral groove or channel G in its edge face equal in height to the thickness of the midsole and of sufficient depth widthwise of the sole to receive the inner marginal portions of the upper and welt, these portions having been turned inwardly by the conforming rolls substantially in position to enter the channel G, as shown in Fig. 5.

Before assembling the shoe parts, cement, preferably rubber cement, is applied to the outer or attaching face of the welt W, to-the inner edges of the welt and upper, andto the inner side of the intumed portion of the upper. Cement is also applied to the channel G in. the sole so that it covers the surfaces thereof including the relatively wide surface formed bythe outer layer T.

In assembling the parts, theupper is preferably held as illustrated in Fig.- 5 so that the welt is substantially flat. The sole B is held-opposite the opening at the bottom of the upper. The sole is then bent or archedto shorten it lengthwise and, while thus bent, it is introduced into the opening in the upper until the inner surface of the outer layer T, which forms the outer surface of the channel G, engages the attaching face of the welt in which position the inner edges of the welt and upper are located substantially opposite or in line with the channel.

The sole is then released to permit it to spring back through resiliency to its original flat condition and thus cause it to assume its full length which, as shown in Fig. 6, causes the sole to engage the upper around its entire margin and to exert a tension or pull thereon which tends to draw the inner edges of the upper and welt into or partially into the channel G. Accordingly, upon the release of the sole B the sole and prewelt upper A-become at once assembled in proper relation to each other while off a'last with the upper fixed or locked against displacement with respect to the sole because the upper and welt arenow; loeatedain-or partially in thechannel completelyaround-the sole.

The upper and welt are next tucked into the channel G for the full depththereof either by hand or by a suitable tool" I. I 2, as illustratedin Fig. '7'. After the upper and welt have-been tuckedzrfullyinto the channel G so that they engagethe edge of themidsole M completely around the. shoe, the cement applied to the-channel,1.upper" andwelt is, allowed to set to cause the-sole; to become cement attached'to th'ecprewelt shoe upper.A.

While the cement securing: the. sole to the upper and welt will. hold sufficiently-:durinythe construction: of the: shoe, itls not usually safe to: rely-upon; cement. alone: to secure the sole permanently to theupper. The shoe may, therefore, be stitched in the samemanner as a regular welt shoe-by'inserting' outseamstitches H, these stitches, asshownin Fig. 8-, being spaced outwardly fromthe upper and passing throughonly thezwelt and sole to attach the. sole permanently to thewelt and upper.

Since. no last has been utilized toifacilitatathe assembling of the .shoe partszor for. shaping: or conformingqthe. upper; to. the shape desirediin the finished shoe, and since the shape imparted to the upperby the rolls is not intended to be its final shape but is an initial'or. preliminary shaping operation the benefits of :which;will job,- viously be lost'or alteredyduringrthe subsequent operations of assembling, stitching, and so forth withouta last in the shoe, it will be seen that after the; sole B has been permanently attached bythe stitches H, the upper, especially-at its forward or toe portion, will usually be drawn into a relatively low or flat shape. or'position; by the strains exerted in makingthe shoe,- thus rendering-this toe portion, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, too low or flat to constitute a well shapedshoe.

The upper A is next shaped or conformed,.par ticul'arlyat its lower portion, to. impart to'itthe shape desired in the finished shoe. As illustrated, this operation may be accomplished, for example, by utilizing an expansiblemember. I I4 (Fig; 9 such as anextensible. form or last which is arranged to be inserted insidethe shoe and to be expanded therein to engage the upper and give it the shape desired in the finished shoe.

The expansible last II4, as illustrated-in Fig; 9, comprises a main or heel section IIB; shapedcin accordance with the shape desired in theheel portion of the shoe and having formed in its lower portion a horizontal slot extending. lengthwise thereof. Fastened in this slot by pins. H8 is anarm or-tongue I20 which extends forwardly and is provided at its forward portion with horizontal slots- I22 and I24- Arranged for-sliding movement on this forward portion of the'arm I20 are a middle or intermediate section I26"and a forward or-toe section I28, these sections'likewise being shaped in accordance with" the shape desired in the finished shoe, the toe section I28, in particular, being curved and rounded to form a suitably shaped toe on the shoe. The two forward sections I26, I28 are provided with horizontalslots through or into which the arm I20 passes, the slot in the forward section I28 terminating short of its front end. The section I26 is .slidably connected to the arm I20 by a pin I30 passing through the slot I22 and the toe section is similarly connected to the arm-by" apin I32 passing through the slot I24, so that both forward. sections can slide alongi'the-arm toward-or away from the heel section H6, their sliding movement being limited by the slots.

The two forward sections of the expansible last are caused to slide on the arm I20 by an eccentric comprising a horizontal disk I34 rotatably mounted in an opening in the. heel section II6 by an upwardly extending shank I86 on the disk and by a pin I8'I extending downwardly therefrom, the shank I86 having a square socket formed in its upper end arranged to be engaged by any suitable means, such as the tool I38, for rotating the disk. Projecting downwardly from the disk is an eccentric pin I40 which is connected to the middle section I26 by a link I42 pivotally engaging a pin I44 on said middle section. Another eccentric pin I46 mounted in the disk I34, farther off center than the pin I40, is connected to the forward section I28 by a link I48 positioned above the link I44 and pivotally secured to the forward section by a screw I50. Since the pin I46 is more eccentric than the pin I40, the forward section I28 will travel farther than the middle section I26 when the disk I34 is rotated to expand or contract the last, the arrangement preferably being such that the middle section moves about half the distance that the forward section moves so that the spaces between the several sections will remain substantially equal at all times.

To complete the construction of the prewelt shoe, the expansible last H4 is inserted in the shoe while contracted and it is then expanded lengthwise to cause it to engage the inner side of the upper and exert sufficient pressure thereon to conform the upper to the shape of the last, thereby imparting to the upper, particularly at its toe and heel portions, the shape desired in the finished shoe. The expansible last is permitted to remain in the shoe for a sufficient time to cause the upper to be conformed to the shape thereof, which may be from ten to twenty minutes. During this time, however, such finishing operations as may be necessary or desirable, such, for example, as edge trimming, setting, and so forth, may be performed to complete the construction of the prewelt shoe after which the last may be contracted and removed from the shoe.

The method of making prewelt shoes disclosed herein, including the final shaping of the upper by the expansible form or last, forms the subject matter of a copending application Serial No. 420,835, filed November 28, 1941, in-my name as a division of the present application.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll for supporting a. shoe upper, and another roll pivotally movable toward and away from said supporting roll for cooperating therewith and for pressing the upper against the supporting roll to feed the upper between said rolls and simultaneously to conform it to the shape of said supporting roll, a portion of said cooperating roll being separable from another portion thereof to prevent said separable portion from operating upon the upper while said other portion continues to operate thereon.

2. In a machine for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll for supporting a shoe upper, and another roll cooperating with the supporting roll for pressing the upper against said supporting roll to feed the upper between said rolls and simultaneously to conform it to the shape of the supporting roll, a portion of said cooperating roll being movable-into a position away from another portion of the roll while the rolls are operating and being arranged to remain positively in such position during said operation to prevent said movable portion from pressing the upper against said supporting roll.

3. In a machine for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll for supporting a shoe upper adjacent to its lower margin, and another roll for pressing the upper against the supporting roll ,to feed the upper and to conform its lower portion to the shape of said supporting roll, 'said other roll being pivotally movable toward and from the supporting roll and having a portion thereof separable at will from another portion thereof to permit the removal of said separable portion from engagement with the upper while the'rolls are operating upon said upper.

4. In a machine for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll for supporting a shoe upper having a counter stiffener in its heel portion, said roll corresponding in shape to that desired in the upper forwardly of said heel portion, and another roll movable radially toward and from the supporting roll for pressing the upper yieldingly against said roll to feed the upper and simultaneously to shape it to said supporting roll, a portion of said other roll being separable axially from another portion thereof while the rolls are operating to permit the removal of the separable portion from engagement with the upper when operating upon its heel portion, thereby preventing said separable portion from acting upon said heel portion or the counter stiffener therein.

5. In a machine for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll for supporting a. shoe upper, another roll cooperating therewith for pressing the upper against the supporting roll to feed the upper between the rolls and simultaneously to conform it to the shape of said supporting roll, said cooperating roll having a' portion thereof separable from another portion of said roll to prevent said separableportion from operating upon the upper, means for rotating said rolls, and means for moving said separable portion into a position away from the other portion of said cooperating roll and for holding it positively in such position while the rolls are rotating.

6. In a machine for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll arranged to extend inside a closed shoe upper ofi a last to support the upper from the inner side thereof, another roll cooperating with the supporting roll for engaging the upper and pressing it against the supporting roll to feed the upper and simultaneously to conform it to the shape of said supporting roll, said cooperating roll being complemental in shape to the supporting roll and having a portion normally engaging the rest of said roll but separable axially into a position remote therefrom while the rolls are operating, thereby permitting the removal of said separable portion from engagement with the upper when the rolls are operating upon some portions of the upper, and means for maintaining said separable portion positively in either of its two positions.

7. In a machine foroperating upon' shoe uppers, a roll for supporting a prewelt shoe upper adjacent to the welt, said roll having means thereon for determining the position of the welt relatively to the adjacent upper, a roll cooperating yieldingly with the supporting roll for forcing the welt yieldingly against the welt means for holding the'separable portion posi tively in said remote position.

'8, In a machine for operating upon shoe -up- -pers,'a roll arranged to-extend inside a prewelt shoe'upper off a last to support the upper from its inner side adjacent to the 'welt, said supporting roll having a surface thereon for determining the position of thewelt relatively to the adjacent upper, another roll cooperating with the supporting roll and arranged for swinging movement relatively thereto,- said cooperating roll being provided-with a portion complemental to the supporting'roll for "entering between the'welt and adjacent upper and forcing the welt against said surface to position saidwelt and for also pressing said upper against the supporting roll to feed the upper and simultaneously to conform it to the shape of said supporting roll, said -cooperating roll having another portion thereof separable at will from said complemental portion while the rolls are operating to permit removal of said separable portion from engagement with the upper when the rolls are operating upon the heel portion thereof, thereby preventing the rolls from conforming said heel portion to the shape of said supporting roll, and means for swinging said cooperating roll into-operative relation with said supporting roll.

9. In a machine for operating upon prewelt shoe uppersoff lasts; a roll arranged to extend inside a prewelt shoe upperoff'a last and having a counter stiffener in its'heel portion, said roll being arranged-to support the upper from its inner side adjacent to the welt and being shaped in accordance with the shape desired forwardly of the heel portion of the upper, said roll having an inclined surface thereon adapted to position the Welt at a predetermined angle relatively to the adjacent upper, another roll cooperating with the supporting rolland provided with a portion' complemental thereto for entering the crease between the welt-and'upper and forcing the welt against said inclined surface to position the welt, said'complemental portion being also arranged to press a lower portion of the upper against the-supporting'rollto feed theupper'and simultaneously to conform said lower portion to the shape of the supporting 'roll, said cooperating roll having another portion thereof adjoining said complemental portion arranged to press a higher portion of the 'upperagainst thesupporting roll to conform it thereto, said adjoining p'ortionbeing movable at will axially toward and away from saidcomplemental portion while the rolls areop'erating to' permit said adjoining portion to be movedout of engagement with the ing'roll toward or away from said complemental portion and for maintaining said adjoining portion positively in' either position.

'In a machine for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll for supporting ashoe upper off alas't, said roll corresponding in shape' to the shape 'desired in the upper forwardly of its heel portion, another roll cooperating'with the supporting roll and movable radially toward and from the supporting roll for pressing the upper against said supporting roll to feed the upper and simultaneously to conform it to the shape of said supporting roll, said cooperating roll being complemental in shape to saidsupporting roll and having a portion thereof separable from another portion to prevent the separable portion from operating-upon the upper, means for moving the cooperating roll radially into operative relation to the supporting roll, means for rotating said rolls to cause them to feed the upper and to operate thereon, and means for moving said separable portion away from the other portion of said 00- operating roll when the rolls are operating upon the heel portion of the upper.

11. In a machine for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll for supporting a shoe upper off a last, a second roll for pressing the upper against the supporting 'rollto feed the upper andsimultaneously to conform it to the shape of said supporting roll, a shaft for supporting said second roll,

said second roll having a portion thereof separable axially along said shaft from the rest of said roll to prevent it from operating upon the upper, means for rotating said rolls, and means for moving said separable portion at will toward or away from the rest of said second roll while the rolls are rotating, said means including a slide, means for moving said slide, means connecting saidslide to said separable portion, and means independent of said shaft for causing rotation of said-separable portion during its axial movement.

12. In a machine-for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll for supporting a shoe upper, a second roll cooperating with the supporting roll for pressing the upper-against said supporting roll to feed the upper and to conform it to the shape of the supporting roll, shafts carrying said rolls,

power operated means for rotating said shafts and rolls, said second roll having one portion thereof fixed to its shaft and another portion movable axially thereon and separable at will from the fixed portion to prevent it from operating upon the u'pper,'means for moving said separable portion axially away from said fixed portion while the rolls are rotating, said means including a slideconnected to said separable portion and a lever-for moving said slide backand forth, and means carried by said fixed portion for causing rotation of said separable portion whenever it is adjacent to said fixed portion.

13. In a machine-foroperating upon shoe uppers, a'ro'll for-supporting ashoe upper off alast,

said r'oll having a surface thereon -for'shaping the upper forwardly of its heel portion, a second roll for 'pre'ss'ing the upper against the supporting r'oll'to feedthe upper and to conform-it to the shape of said surface, said-second-roll 'havin'g a portion separable from another portion said separable portion and arranged for movement back and forth in a plane parallel to the axis of said separable portion, a pivoted lever for moving said slide, and a plurality of rods fixed to said other portion and slidably engaging said separable portion for causing said separable portion to rotate while permitting axial movement thereof toward and away from said other portion during the rotation of the rolls.

14. In a machine for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll for supporting a shoe upper off a last from the inner side of said upper, said roll having a surface thereon for shaping the upper forwardly of its heel portion, a second roll for pressing the upper against the supporting roll to feed the upper and simultaneously to conform it to the shape of said supporting roll, shafts for supporting said rolls, means for rotating said shafts, said second roll having a portion thereof fixed to its shaft and another portion separable from the fixed portion to prevent the separable portion from engaging the upper and conforming it when the rolls are operating upon its heel portion, said separable portion having an annular groove therein, a slide movable back and forth in a plane parallel to the axis of said second roll, means on the slide for engaging the groove in said separable portion, and a pivoted lever for moving said slide back and forth and thereby moving said separable portion axially toward and away from the fixed portion of said second roll.

15. In a machine for operating upon shoe uppers, a roll for supporting a prewelt shoe upper off a last adjacent to the welt thereon, said roll being shaped in accordance with the shape desired in the upper forwardly of its heel portion and having a flange thereon for positioning the welt at a predetermined angle to the adjacent upper, a second roll cooperating with the supporting roll for pressing the upper against it to feed the upper and simultaneously to conform the upper to the shape of said supporting roll and for also forcing the welt against said flange to position said welt at the desired angle, means for rotating said rolls/said second roll having a portion thereof separable at will from another portion while the roll are rotating to prevent the separable portion from acting upon the upper, and means for moving said separable portion axially away from the other portion of said second roll, said means including a slide connected to said separable portion, a lever for moving said slide, and means slidably engaging said separable portion for causing rotation of said separable portion when it is in engagement with said other portion.

ADRIEN L. JALBERT. 

